Good list but the best thing to pack is what is between your ears. We have all talked about whats in a bag and how to use it but if you lack one of these "100 Skills Every Man Should Know" get some info and knowledge on it now before you need it. Its your own personal BOB that's always with you and always useful because its hard to lose and extremely difficult to replace.http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/how_to/4281414.html

"If some of our teenage thrill seeker really want to go out and get a thrill. Let them go up into the north west and let them tangle with a Grizzly bear or Polar bear or brown bear and get that effect that will cleanse the soul". ~ Fred Bear

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

That is a really good list! I've got quite a bit of the same stuff in mine, with a few additions.Something some folks might not think of is:spare pair of socks (regular during most seasons, thick socks during winter)Who knows how far you're going to be hoofin' it to where you're going.Foot care is essential. Infections and sores will slow you down, and if you're are traveling with a group (be it family or a mutual defense group)you could be slowing them down and in turn putting your life and other's in danger.Flashlights with extra batteries. Primarily, a head lamp style light that frees up your hands for use.

Emergency blankets (the ones that look like aluminum foil). They store small and will warm you up in no time. I've used one before when I fell in my uncle's pond in the middle of Feb. and I actually started sweating after about 20 minutes.

#550 Parachute cord. I keep a small roll of that in my bag as well. That stuff is STRONG. You never know when something will tear, break, or need to be tied. And I can guarantee you it's useful for that.

A pair of latex exam gloves. In a total collapse situation, you don't know what you may come into phsyical contact with, and you certainly would want to minimize your contact with anything infectious. Gloves aren't a magical shield against a virus but a pair of gloves and maybe some of the little white masks won't hurt. (although the white masks are a bit much even for me. Just a thought though.)

Change up on the socks as a suggestion and worth the price, majorsurplusnsurvival.com had some Marine issue socks cheap at one time that contain silver to kill the foot odor and rot we get from longterm wear,there are other commercial brands plus underwear etc available. remember the old pioneers used to through a silver dollar in a gallon of milk to make it last longer and not spoil etc.

I guess I don't really have a BOB as a lot of people would think of one. Mine is probably closer to a GHB (Get Home Bag). The thing is, I always have this bag around with me. I am a programmer, and it's the large backpack for my laptop. I think there is about 1 hour a day when this bag isn't in the same room as me - that's when I am at home for lunch, a block away from work.

You can't take it with you if you don't have it with you and you need it RIGHT NOW, right?

I would agree with the post above, that the most valuable thing you can carry with you is your head. But, hey, that's why are are listening to the podcast, reading the websites, and talking on the boards, to improve what's in our heads.

Most of the stuff I carry I try to have as 'stealth' gear. It is multi-purpose, or otherwise made to look inauspicious.

The scope of this bag is to primarly be useful for everyday living - all the little crap that happens, sprained ankle at the park, button fell off your pants, you know the stuff that makes life interesting. Worse case scenario it will allow me overnight just about anywhere outside or indside. I can also walk a few days with it if needed.

So, here is what I carry around with me everywhere, I noted what I actually used today.

Lets see, Front Left pants pocket.Keyring - this has several items on itA little pill bottle with some pain killers and Pepcid ACThe little small Swiss army knife - great for a nail clippers (I used this today)A 1gig USB drive with encrypted files of my important documentsA small rod shaped whistle that I picked up at a tradeshowKeys (used today -duh)Separate from the keyring, a large Swiss Army Knife Cybertool - great for working on computers

Right pocket3 inch folding lockback knife (yes, that's number 3 on my person) (I used the knife today)Pen (I used the pen today)Sharpie marker - you can't believe how handy these are to have aroundsmall pen flashlight with some duct tape wrapped around it - this makes it easier to find by feel (I used the light today)Lighter - I don't smoke, when people ask why I carry it, I tell 'em my last girlfriend smokesSmall diamond knife sharpener - it has some floral wire wrapped around it - I am not sure how this ended up in my pocket, but I have yet to find a reason to find another home for it and I use it at least once a week either on my knives or a friends knife.

WalletCashDebit Cardscard with contacts next to insurance cards2 bobby pins, one in each 'fold' (I used one today to try to pick a lock to a cabinet we needed into at work)25 lb braided fishing line wrapped around an old insurace card - it was the thinest card I could find - I use this often for stuff, never fishinghalf a dozen 'patches' of duct tape on the back of a bookstore membership card - anybody have any idea how to keep the tape from sliding off the card and making a sticky mess?a few fishing hooks wired together and put into that spare house key slot in the wallet.

Cell phone (used it today)

Now for the computer backpack. I take this thing EVERYWHERE I go. When people ask, I have it in case one of my servers goes down (which is true, but that's just an excuse to have the rest of the stuff with me)

Front pocketAssorted company branded pens pencils and markerssome branded post it notessome nylon zip ties shoved int one of the pen slots in the bag - I am wondering how these would work for snares...A company branded swiss army knifeA branded tradeshow giveaway screwdriver setA magnesium firestartera plastic sewing kit seta handfull of crystal light 'on the go' pouchesa magic trick quarter (happens to be an old silver one)

Middle pocket - this is where most of my 'supplies' areA box of granola barsA camping first aid kit stuff to bursting with extras like rubber gloves, athletic tape (sticks as good as duct tape, and the roll is much smaller), newskin, Ace bandages, etc. - I think the Biggest thing in there as far as BOB is the ace bandages - what if you sprain an ankle?A plastic hooded poncho big enough for me and the bagAssorted allergy medicine, cold medicine, etc. (I think I have taken one of the cold medicine, everyone else uses it)A spare t-shirt wrapped as a 'brick' I got from a tradeshow - shirt or very large bandageAltoid tin in a plastic bag with BagBalm in it - works like Vaseline and is antibacterial as well35mm film canister of cotton ballswater purification tablets (the crystal light is to kill the taste if needed)A ziplock bag with a 10x10 foot .7 mil painters drop cloth and some plastic garbabe bagsAlso a few rayon cloths compressed into a small pill form2 small pouches of tuna fish1 Kitchens of India Rice meal in one of those boil pouches with a large pouch of tuna fish shoved in the box and glued back shut (DIY MRE)Space blanketStrike anywhere matches in a waterproof case with a dry cotton balls and the striker from the match boxSome light cordhand sanitizer

The main pouchThe laptopPower Adapter for the laptopzippered leather notebook with calculatorsmall company branded notepad of graph paperFolding maps of my state and the state north of me (where my folks are if I ever need to bug out)

Side pocketsAssorted computer cables and dohickysspare cell phone chargerdigital camera & charger and cablesbottle of water & one of those belts clips on the bag's shoulder strap to keep the water with me as it loves to fall out of the worthless water bottle pouch on this bag

The little cell phone pouch on the strap keps a compass/thermometer/whistle/magnifing lens all in one tchockys

I carry this around with me every day. I had upgraded my first aid kit when my cat and I had a disagreement and he got hold of my arm. The only other thing that I seem to use often is the food for days when I am too busy or forget to take lunch.Everybody else is asking about the meds.

As much of this stuff is from tradeshows or otherwise branded with company names in the industries that I work for that it can pass for just a collection of assorted odds and ends that I have collected in my bag over the years. This has so far prevented me form being branded as one of those 'crazy survivalists'.

Now I just gotta find somebody with some bobby pins so I can replace the one I made into the lockpick today... Don't let me forget.

#550 Parachute cord. I keep a small roll of that in my bag as well. That stuff is STRONG. You never know when something will tear, break, or need to be tied. And I can guarantee you it's useful for that.

Just a good tip to know, within 550 paracord, there are 7 (actually 14, but they are twisted into 7) separate strands that you can pull out to use when you need smaller rope.

Logged

From a friend: Benjamin Franklin once said that beer is proof that God loves us. I'm of the opinion that Redheads are proof that, contrary to popular belief, Satan also loves us.My small blog: http://journeytogreenerpastures.blogspot.com/

I hope that linking to another site is not stepping on anyone's toes, but in the essence of not having to retype everything I did in another forum, here is my Get-home-gear that will be upgraded soon. My GHG is in my car, and I have added a few things since then. Once I have updated it on ZombieHunters I will update it here as well.

Cold, cross-posting is most definitely allowed. Jack knows this is a hub with listeners from other venues. It also exposes people who may not know about ZS (or any other prep site) and may give them another source of information.

Logged

Quote from: DeltaEchoVictor

Not one of us even asked if she was wet enough.

Quote from: ModernSurvival

Ultio1 that is one of nicest pieces of wood I have ever seen

"How a politician stands on the Second Amendment tells you how he or she views you as an individual... as a trustworthy and productive citizen, or as part of an unruly crowd that needs to be lorded, controlled, supervised, and taken care of."-- Former Texas State Rep. Suzanna Hupp

Nobody reponded to my "IF" poem yet, but from all my years of boy to man and answeing questions from the teenagers what is a man or how to be one that has always been my favored answer,if you think about it ,or are somewhat tongue tied when questioned, it is a great referal to what we as an old grizzled one can say a thing or two about if questioned about the meaning.

I tried posting this in Region 3 to see, but have not had alot of responses. I thought that this would be a good topic so I am bumping this one back up with my posting of my BOB (of what I have thus far)

Some may think that this BOB is lacking however I have developed my own system where my GHB (Get Home Bag) fits onto my ruck via ALICE clips. Here is a link to another forum where posted my GHB. The idea is that if I am away from home then I will have access to my car which has my GHB equipment. Once getting home and I have to bug out then my GHB attaches to my ruck with minimal effort and away I can go.

Earth Monk

Really like the concept of the BOB, but the mil gear will be a draw for those with nothing, IMO. Maybe an oversized windbreaker type of jacket, Grey preferably, or a black/OD green poncho for rain weather would be a good addition to conceal the LBE, put the backpack on over top.

BTW, where is the 18" 12ga shotgun in a campchair bag for concealment? jk...

One addition to the extra socks would be Moleskin. It is a thick sticky pad one puts on a place (foot/hand/ shoulder where the backpack straps are) to reduce friction hence reducing blisters. Its cheap, light, and super to have when you need it. I'm willing to bet your feet may be conditioned if you do hiking (start now if your only a prepper in the mind, not in reality). Your dependants (kids/wife) may not have conditioned feet, and their blisters WILL reduce your pace, possibly increasing the risk of danger due to overexposure in an environment or lack of mobility.

I tried posting this in Region 3 to see, but have not had alot of responses. I thought that this would be a good topic so I am bumping this one back up with my posting of my BOB (of what I have thus far)

Some may think that this BOB is lacking however I have developed my own system where my GHB (Get Home Bag) fits onto my ruck via ALICE clips. Here is a link to another forum where posted my GHB. The idea is that if I am away from home then I will have access to my car which has my GHB equipment. Once getting home and I have to bug out then my GHB attaches to my ruck with minimal effort and away I can go.

Ok i realize this is my very 1st post here and you are a mod and this isn't a critique of you or a personal attack but your BOB is screwed up. let me go through it an explain.

1st off thats thing is really bulky and i'll bet really heavy.

2nd you are missing some really important items.

I'm going to go through your list make some deletions and some additions.

Sleeping Bag - 20 degrees - great if gets that cold BUT the bag you have is super bulky- shop around for a smaller one. I use a 40 degree bag thats about 1/4 the size and weighs 3 pounds.

Tent - Sleeps 2 - thats a pretty bulky and I'll bet heavy tent. there are several good and not expensive 2 man back packing tents in the 4-6 lbs range that are alot smaller than that. as a matter of fact colemans family site (login: family) is having a steep sale for black fridayLensatic Compass -EXCELLENT! where are your maps?Pedometer- what? why? loose it.E-tool a big what and why but if its something like a s tough sog etool then keep it4 Canned Heat- bulky and heavy loose it. replace with alcohol or esbitCanned Heat stove- see above2 packs fire starter sticks- ok1 Mess kit- whats in the mess kit? a canteen cup and a spork is all you need.2 glow sticks- why? you can use them once each. where is your flash light?- replace with an LED headlamp50 feet of 300 lb test nylon rope with hook on end- ok I like parracord better but to each his ownAll purpose gun cleaning kit- how many guns are you bringing? tailor your kit to the firearm being carriedMulti-tool- GOOD!Sun-Block/ Insect repellant- EXCELLENT!Bottle of hand sanitizer- why? replace with small bottle of soap. hand sanitizer is just hand sanitizer. soap cleans you, clothes, mess kit, etc1 bottle tylenol1 bottle antihistamine1 bottle ibuprofen1 bottle Multi-vitamin- loose it you don't need it2 cigar tubes of iodine salt- what? loose it! replace with a few salt packets from a fast food joint1 small jar of instant coffee- ok4 energy bars- ok4 packs of instant miso soup- ok1 pack ramen noodles- ok1 Jar beef stock - ugh ok1 towel - make it small towl. I carry one of those little terry cloth jobs for car detailing.2 sets of shirts (water wicking) -ok2 sets of pants- ok3 sets of socks- ok3 sets of underwea -okr2 emergency blankets- are these the little silver $1 ones or a real one? I carry a heavy duty thick one. the cheapies are just noise producers2 rain ponchos- you just need 11 knife sharpener - a smiths or gerber diamond rod1 roll fishing line- you don't need a whole roll1 roll gorilla glue duct tape- you can get a camper sized roll of duct tape at dicks or gander mountian1 carbiner- what? are you going mountian climbing without a rope? loose itPackage of 50 disposable wipes- loose em see the bottle of soap above

water purification: get a good filter- tablets don't kill cryptoget some water bladders- you have no water carriers list at all! you can't go more than 3 days without water at best and contaminated water will kill you.a 1st aid kit. you have no bandages, no antiseptics, nothing but a few pills

you are light on food might want to add some more energy bars and some mountain house meals.

your bob as it is now has got to be heavy I'm guessing 60 lbs?

my 1st interation of a BOB was also ALICE pack based and it weighed 50 LBS!

First off I just wanna say how against bugging out I am. History shows us that refugees are preyed upon and entirely too vulnerable. I do believe in evacuation from hurricanes and the like, but hunkering down at home to me has always been the sane thing to do. I agree with an earlier poster that technically my bag is not a BOB but a "Get Back Home Bag" that I carry in my car. Now with that said, just a couple of comments about bag contents. As a hiker/camper I would ditch all the different hygiene products including deodorant and toothpaste in favor of Dr Bonner's Soap (I prefer peppermint). You can brush your teeth with it, wash your body (including hair), wash clothes or dishes with it. Diluted you can use it as mouthwash. Great multipurpose soap and is much nicer than carrying around a ditty bag full of hygiene products. A small bottle costs around $3 at the health food store and you may wanna buy it first and try it out. If you are not accustomed to essential plant oils, ya may wanna try out the plain soap first as the peppermint or tea tree oil extracts may cause some "warming" of yer private areas. The other thing I always carry into the field is body powder, usually the medicated. When you can not shower, powdering can give you that clean feeling and it is good for the feet. It is cheap and light. I buy the Equate brand at Wally World or the medicated powder at the Dollar Stores. At $1 a bottle it costs so much less than the standard Gold Bond brand (close to $7) that it is truly unbelievable. I have tried the Gold Bond and like it but not enough where it justifies the extra cost.

About using an Alice bag, I love them especially with a frame. The medium sized bag is huge and with a frame I can tote quite a bit of weight comfortably. If you are worried about attracting attention, make or buy a pack cover made of whatever you want. There are some commercial pack covers available at Campmor and the like that will keep the military look to a minimum. Personally I do not worry about this, surplus packs are probably more common than commercial packs and anyone carrying a REALLY nice commercial pack would cause me to look at them a bit.

What's in your bag is secondary to what your are wearing. I keep good sturdy boots with my bag, I prefer Canadian issued combat boots. Feet stay dry and warm when it is cold and comfortable when it is over 100 degrees as well. Stuff a couple pair of good socks in each boot in case you are wearing flip flops or the like when ya need to get out of Dodge. A bag of good hiking clothes that you can change into prior to leaving your vehicle is probably a good idea as well. I keep a pair of cammie pants with a pair of wind pants (the kind that has zippered legs where you can make shorts outta them) in the car as well. If you are worried about the military look, just slip the windpants on over your cammies until you get to the woods. I also keep a pair of Swiss Army gaiters in with my boots, if you never used them, get them. I love my gaiters and think most hikers who have used them do as well.

Never discount the lowly walking stick. You can buy the aluminum ones if you like, personally I love my hickory stick. It was a gift and I tote it every time I hike or just take a walk. There are too many uses for it and have used it for protection more times than my firearms/knives combined. If you don't have a stick, make sure you have a means of obtaining one when yer on the run (ie a good knife).

For those who plan on bugging out, all I can say is good luck. If you have nowhere to go and just kinda plan on living off the land in a national forest during hard times you may wanna read about a fella named "Wild" Bill Moreland. His story may change your mind about heading into the wilderness.

Logged

"Can our form of government, our system of justice, survive if one can be denied a FREEDOM because he might abuse it?" Harlan Carter

Some may think that this BOB is lacking however I have developed my own system where my GHB (Get Home Bag) fits onto my ruck via ALICE clips. Here is a link to another forum where posted my GHB. The idea is that if I am away from home then I will have access to my car which has my GHB equipment. Once getting home and I have to bug out then my GHB attaches to my ruck with minimal effort and away I can go.

Ok i realize this is my very 1st post here and you are a mod and this isn't a critique of you or a personal attack but your BOB is screwed up. let me go through it an explain.

1st off thats thing is really bulky and i'll bet really heavy.

2nd you are missing some really important items.

I'm going to go through your list make some deletions and some additions.Sleeping Bag - 20 degrees - great if gets that cold BUT the bag you have is super bulky- shop around for a smaller one. I use a 40 degree bag thats about 1/4 the size and weighs 3 pounds.Tent - Sleeps 2 - thats a pretty bulky and I'll bet heavy tent. there are several good and not expensive 2 man back packing tents in the 4-6 lbs range that are alot smaller than that. as a matter of fact colemans family site (login: family) is having a steep sale for black fridayLensatic Compass -EXCELLENT! where are your maps?Pedometer- what? why? loose it.E-tool a big what and why but if its something like a s tough sog etool then keep it4 Canned Heat- bulky and heavy loose it. replace with alcohol or esbitCanned Heat stove- see above1 Mess kit- whats in the mess kit? a canteen cup and a spork is all you need.2 glow sticks- why? you can use them once each. where is your flash light?- replace with an LED headlamp50 feet of 300 lb test nylon rope with hook on end- ok I like parracord better but to each his ownAll purpose gun cleaning kit- how many guns are you bringing? tailor your kit to the firearm being carriedBottle of hand sanitizer- why? replace with small bottle of soap. hand sanitizer is just hand sanitizer. soap cleans you, clothes, mess kit, etc1 bottle tylenol1 bottle antihistamine1 bottle ibuprofen1 bottle Multi-vitamin- loose it you don't need it2 cigar tubes of iodine salt- what? loose it! replace with a few salt packets from a fast food joint2 emergency blankets- are these the little silver $1 ones or a real one? I carry a heavy duty thick one. the cheapies are just noise producers2 rain ponchos- you just need 11 knife sharpener - a smiths or gerber diamond rod1 roll fishing line- you don't need a whole roll1 roll gorilla glue duct tape- you can get a camper sized roll of duct tape at dicks or gander mountian1 carbiner- what? are you going mountian climbing without a rope? loose itPackage of 50 disposable wipes- loose em see the bottle of soap above2 Packs of Hot Hands - loose em buy wool mitts2 Lrg. packs of Hot Hands- same as above buy wool hat1 waterproof container of matches + striker- get a magnesium fire starter and 2 bic lighters. 1 bic will outlast a box of matches1 tent hammer- loose it its what a rock is forHatchet - loose it. an etool with a sharpened edge works

things you are lacking that are critical:

water purification: get a good filter- tablets don't kill cryptoget some water bladders- you have no water carriers list at all! you can't go more than 3 days without water at best and contaminated water will kill you.a 1st aid kit. you have no bandages, no antiseptics, nothing but a few pills

you are light on food might want to add some more energy bars and some mountain house meals.

your bob as it is now has got to be heavy I'm guessing 60 lbs?

my 1st interation of a BOB was also ALICE pack based and it weighed 50 LBS!

i'm down to about 25 right now.

Alright! Finally a critique! First of all let me say that I do not take this as an attack. Constructive criticism is always welcome so long as it obvious that someone is not being condescending about it or mean. I do not think you are being this way, but let me start out by saying that you must not have read my entire post. There is a link to where I have my GHG. I even stated that in my post. It seems you jumped right to the list without reading anything I wrote in the post. There is a link at the bottom of the post. It goes to here: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 I had mentioned at the bottom of my post that there were things that seemed like they were missing from my BOB and that you should go to the link to see the gear that suppliments what I have listed here. Since I had posted it somewhere else I didn't see a need to write all that stuff up again.

For Brevity sake I am only going to respond about those things you critiqued on. Again, thanks!

Bulky means it can carry more, and heavy only depends on what you put in it.

Sleeping bag - its not heavy. In fact, for the size, price, and quality it is the best one for me to purchase. You want bulky and heavy try the sleeping bags the Army issues you.

Tent - I am not sure why you think these items are heavy. The tent weighs less that 5 lbs, and the sleeping bag may weigh 3 lbs. Shelter and keeping warm is very imporant in survival. They are items you need to bring with you if it is going to be a trek to your BOL. Besides, this is a two man tent, but it fits my family pretty good. Maybe not in a few more years, but we will see.

Lensatic compass - Please see http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 I am looking for topigraphical maps, but haven't found any yet for my area. These maps I am used to using when I was in the Army. I would have to make due with what I have right now.

Pedometer - Small and weighs about the same as a feather. Simple. If you know how many feet you have traveled and know the conversion to miles then you can estimate how far you have traveled. In fact I am thinking about putting this in my GHB. With a map, Lensatic Compass, and a pedometer you can better track where you are and how far you have traveled.

Standard issue E-tool - My Drill Sergeant taught me too many ways to use this to not bring it with me. You can use this to clear an area to camp pretty quickly. You can chop medium sized branches. You can use it to hammer various things like tent pegs. You can use it to control fire. If for some reason you are caught in a forest fire you can use it to dig a trench around your area. Hell, you can even use it for defense. In my opinion you should have one of these in your BOB, BOV, and BOL.

Canned Heat - I have a budget. It travels good, and is not that heavy. I have thought long and hard about different types of fuel. Canned heat will not spill, and I do not have to worry about it exploding. It can get things just as hot as a stove, and it can even be used to start tender if needed. Each lasts about 2 1/2 hours. After that the empty cans can be used for other purposes (non-food or water related) and can also hold other kinds of fuel such as Kiwi wax, alcohol, or kerosene.

Canned Heat Stove - If you carry canned heat its kinda crazy not to bring something to cook on.

Mess Kit - If you think you will only need a canteen cup then go ahead. I am not going to stop you, but I would like to be able to cook on something. There is also matches in the kit. Included with this is a handy tool that has a spoon, knife, fork, and other utensils. The mess kit also has a cup for drinking soup, it has a frying pan, and eating plate. Its put together and collapes to make the thing about half the size of a regular plate. I also have a P38 can opener in this kit. I am not sure what you are planning to eat on your way to your BOL, but I will be able to eat the full range of canned food, dried food items, and anything I want to cook. I would call this personal preference if it were just me, but since it is my family I need a quicker way to cook things in bulk.

Glow sticks - Yes they can only be used once, but they are to hang outside of my ruck so that those following behind me can see me. Sometimes it is better to not have a flashlight on while traveling at night if that is what you need to do. I learned this idea from the Army. Most of our Kevlar helmets had two glow in the dark patches on the back of a band we wrapped around our helmet. This is so if we were traveling at night that the person behind us would not lose track of the guy in front of him, and so on. I would love to get ahold of one of those on a larger scale so that it could recharge during the day like most glow-in-the-dark stuff. I will have to look into it further.

Rope - Parachord is good. Remember, I am on a budget. If you find any sales on this let me know!

Gun Cleaning kit - I plan to bring one gun of each type. Handgun, Carbine, and shotgun. I know...how am I going to carry all of that? Simple. The handgun fits on my webbing belt for the LCE. I can either hand carry/sling/or put the shotgun across my ALICE pack top. So what about the carbine? My fiancee, soon to be wife. I am teaching her how to use a handgun, and hopefully how to use a .22 and eventually the carbine. So yeah, I need to bring something to clean the stuff I am bringing.

Hand Sanitizer - Soap you need water to clean with. Personally I do not want to waste any more water than need be. Hand sanitizer kills 99.99% of germs. This is the idea in using anything to clean. It can be used to clean my hands quickly before cooking or eating. Its quick, dries easy, uses no water, and in my opinion it does not get your hands cold (which if it is winter you are not going to want to get your hands colder than they already are).

I am going to assume that since you did not list an 'ok' beside the meds or comment on them you are including them in the multi-vitamin statement. Never assume everything is going to go 100% according to plan. Hell, don't even assume 50% of your plan is going to work. Tylenol is acetaminophen. Used in conjunction with caffeine its effects improve. Not astronomically, but better than by itself. Here is a link: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/acetaminophen-and-caffeine.html The same thing with Ibuprofen. You might need pain relief whether it is from fatigue, headaches, or cramps. Antihistamine is for allergies, bites, stings, and they can be broken open and applied directly to the skin. Last is the multi-vitamin. If you think you are going to get all your nutrients and minerals through the food you eat on your way then you might want to think again. Even once you get there you are not going to have all the nutrients you need, and one of those is iodine. I don't know about you but I don't want a goiter the shape of a football.

Tubes of iodine salt - I am not sure how far your BOL is. It could be down the road, mine is many miles, and I like assurances. Salt is good, in small quantaties, to help replenish electrolytes in your body. This is no different an idea than the salt tablets the Army gives to recruits during the hot months of the year. I like to err on the side of caution and have this just in case. Salt packs from restaraunts are too small, and can get wet too easily.

Beef stock - Scratching your head about this one? One it has salt in it too, but it also has nutrients. We give beef stock to those people in the hospital when they can not keep down solids. Do you think that during the trip someone might not get sick or be in a position where they can not eat solids without vomiting? Its a small bottle if that worries you. I would rather have it and be able to feed someone than not have it and need it.

Emergency blankets - Of course they are the 1 dollar kind. They are there for more than one reason too. They might be noise makers, but if you need to be rescued then they might be handy. They are shiny, warm, and reflective. Sometimes you might want to be found. Need to take that into account. Besides, I have my sleeping bag. If I needed something for warmth I would use that, right?

Rain ponchos - Need only one? I have a family of three. My fiancee, daughter, and myself. Hopefully your planning involves family members also. Mine does. I have a army issue poncho that is a part of my GHB. Its not in the picture because there is a link to it.

Knife sharpener - I have one of the easy to use kind. My BOL already has a good knife sharpening kit. This will be light and sufficient to get me to my BOL. (Not to mention cheaper)

Fishing line - Again, multi-purpose. Not only can this be used to fish with, but to tie things, sew things, be used for sutures, and be used to trap animals. The roll fits nicely in the bottom of one of the outer pockets and so does not use that much room. Personal choice, I guess, but I would rather have it than not.

Gorilla Glue Duct Tape - You can also get this kind of duct tape at Wal-Mart. It is super strong, and you won't have to worry about it coming loose. Besides, I also have a smaller amount of this wrapped around a pencil in my GHB in case I need some there. Compact and easy to use. This also fits in the bottom of one of my outside pouches rather nicely. This stuff is too useful not to bring some with you.

Carbiner - First of all I do have a rope. You commented on it a minute ago. Second, this is not a carbiner to climb with. It is used to carry items. What if I need quick access to something? What if for some reason my pack fell and I need to lift it up to me? It has this handy little carbiner attached so all I have to do is lower a hook and pull it up to me. Carbiners are very useful and I want to buy some more soon.

Disposable wipes - Man you are going to be really stinky out there if you do not have a way to bathe yourself, or wipe your behind. You think you are going to go very long without the need to deficate? Hope you brought plenty of corn cobs!

Hot hands - yes, but the thing is that neither gloves nor hats actually generate heat. These do. There is a reason hunters are fond of them. Don't get me wrong. Bring a set of gloves and hat, and they can be used in conjunction for better effect. They stay warm for many hours. These are small enough to place in jackets and gloves. Chalk it up to personal preference if you want.

Matches and striker - I have a magnesium striker in mh GHB. See: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 The matches are there for more than one reason. Try getting a BIC to light easily when it is cold. Its not easy. I know, I am a smoker. The reason for the matches are that in case of the BICs not working from my GHB then I will use these.

Tent hammer - It is also what a E-Tool is for. However, if I need to be vertical and hammering a rock and an E-tool is not going to be as useful. I suppose I could do without it. For now I am keeping it, and probably in my BOV.

Hatchet - Just a minute ago you said an E-Tool wasn't needed. Yes, you can use it to chop. Do I want to? No. I don't want to try and spend hours chopping a thick limb with it. I already did that with my survival knife, and decided I want to have a hatchet. Again you could mark this up to personal preference I suppose. Besides, if your E-Tool becomes stuck in a large limb or tree how do you suppose to get it out and use it again? I never underestimate the probability for any legitimate plan to have setbacks. Why risk losing the E-Tool? I could use the E-Tool and Survival knife to chop. I have done it before. However, I prefer not to have too many blisters. Its convienience mixed with risk management.

No water carriers - Okay...listed here: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 There is a 2 quart container of water in my BOV with water tabs. In my trunk is a 7 gallon container of water. On my LCE there are two 1 quart canteens of water. I have in the house 24 gallons of water. Inside the house I have chlorine for contaminated water in addition to the water tabs in the BOV. I have a 2 1 quart water bottles inside the house also. In all about 32 gallons of water. 8 of those gallons being a part of my bug out gear.

1st aid kit - I have a FAK with tons of useful items, but to your credit I didn't mention it. However, listed here: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 there is the GHB load-out with the 1st aid type equipment. Also, there is a complete 1st aid kit under my seat in my BOV. I work at a hospital, which you did not know, and one of the first things I started gathering was medical supplies. Legally of course.

Food, yes I know there is more I should add. I have 9 gallon container with pento beans in them (very useful to cook with the canned heat), but I am looking into some other things as well. Energy bars only go so far. I have more food in my GHB, but I need to put more in my BOB too. To see the food I have in my GHB go to http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 Trail mix does well and that is what I have in my GHB. I have been thinking about purchasing some rations (not MRE's or mountain house) which I have seen online. They supply you with all the nutrients you need per meal. I am still deciding on this.

Gear weight? Probably around that when I add on the GHB. Might be more than that later. 50 lbs was standard carrying weight when we went on road marches. I have read that a good standard to go by is to not pack more than 1/3rd your weight. I weigh 250 and so 1/3rd of that is 83. This has to do with carrying so that it does not make you lose your center of gravity. Your other arguement for this would be could I carry it? I am a pretty hefty guy, but even I would say I need more practice carrying it longer distances than I have. That is why I am thinking of trying to get people from my region together to do Bug out drills and tests. I still would like to see more people in our region in our forum area before I do this though. Everyone could use more exercise including me. So I will give you that, but I still can carry it a good distance without fatigue.

I could see about getting my BOB lighter, or I could also exercise a bit more than I do and carry what I need.

Thanks again for your critique! I like hearing what others think. Also, I have developed a system that works for me and my family, and I like to hear how I can improve. My system of using my GHB as an attachment to my ALICE pack I think is a good one. You have alot of essential gear when you are out, and if you need to get home, but if you need to bug out from there you can attach it to the ALICE pack and go. Also, it would have helped if you would have read that link I wrote in my original post. You would have seen that I am not as under prepared as you thought. I am not a pro, but I am not a newbie either.

I would love to see your pack! If you have been able to work it down to 25 lbs that is great! I would love to learn how to make better use of the space I have. Like I said I am not a pro. Help the thread along and post your BOB. Thanks again for your comments and suggestions!

First off I just wanna say how against bugging out I am. History shows us that refugees are preyed upon and entirely too vulnerable. I do believe in evacuation from hurricanes and the like, but hunkering down at home to me has always been the sane thing to do. I agree with an earlier poster that technically my bag is not a BOB but a "Get Back Home Bag" that I carry in my car. Now with that said, just a couple of comments about bag contents. As a hiker/camper I would ditch all the different hygiene products including deodorant and toothpaste in favor of Dr Bonner's Soap (I prefer peppermint). You can brush your teeth with it, wash your body (including hair), wash clothes or dishes with it. Diluted you can use it as mouthwash. Great multipurpose soap and is much nicer than carrying around a ditty bag full of hygiene products. A small bottle costs around $3 at the health food store and you may wanna buy it first and try it out. If you are not accustomed to essential plant oils, ya may wanna try out the plain soap first as the peppermint or tea tree oil extracts may cause some "warming" of yer private areas. The other thing I always carry into the field is body powder, usually the medicated. When you can not shower, powdering can give you that clean feeling and it is good for the feet. It is cheap and light. I buy the Equate brand at Wally World or the medicated powder at the Dollar Stores. At $1 a bottle it costs so much less than the standard Gold Bond brand (close to $7) that it is truly unbelievable. I have tried the Gold Bond and like it but not enough where it justifies the extra cost.

About using an Alice bag, I love them especially with a frame. The medium sized bag is huge and with a frame I can tote quite a bit of weight comfortably. If you are worried about attracting attention, make or buy a pack cover made of whatever you want. There are some commercial pack covers available at Campmor and the like that will keep the military look to a minimum. Personally I do not worry about this, surplus packs are probably more common than commercial packs and anyone carrying a REALLY nice commercial pack would cause me to look at them a bit.

What's in your bag is secondary to what your are wearing. I keep good sturdy boots with my bag, I prefer Canadian issued combat boots. Feet stay dry and warm when it is cold and comfortable when it is over 100 degrees as well. Stuff a couple pair of good socks in each boot in case you are wearing flip flops or the like when ya need to get out of Dodge. A bag of good hiking clothes that you can change into prior to leaving your vehicle is probably a good idea as well. I keep a pair of cammie pants with a pair of wind pants (the kind that has zippered legs where you can make shorts outta them) in the car as well. If you are worried about the military look, just slip the windpants on over your cammies until you get to the woods. I also keep a pair of Swiss Army gaiters in with my boots, if you never used them, get them. I love my gaiters and think most hikers who have used them do as well.

Never discount the lowly walking stick. You can buy the aluminum ones if you like, personally I love my hickory stick. It was a gift and I tote it every time I hike or just take a walk. There are too many uses for it and have used it for protection more times than my firearms/knives combined. If you don't have a stick, make sure you have a means of obtaining one when yer on the run (ie a good knife).

For those who plan on bugging out, all I can say is good luck. If you have nowhere to go and just kinda plan on living off the land in a national forest during hard times you may wanna read about a fella named "Wild" Bill Moreland. His story may change your mind about heading into the wilderness.

Cool I am going to have to look for that stuff! (Dr Bonner's Soap). That would be a pretty handy thing to have, and you're right that would reduce the amount of items in your pack. Where do they usually sell it?

I don't think I have foot powder yet, and it is a great suggestion. We were encouraged to use it alot in the Army. I need to get some for both my FAK, BOB, and BOL. I also need to buy more Moleskin, and thicker socks.

I do have a cover for the pack, but I think it makes it stand out more. I have it because it came with the pack when I bought it. It is supposed to help keep rain and dust out of your pack. You could use the same kind of principle with other material. The cover I have is desert camo. I wonder if I turned it inside out if it would be less noticeable. I think attacting attention is more possible if you have a ton of tactical gear. A BOB by itself is not going to attact attention. Besides, the way I have it set up it looks more normal, at least I think so.

A good pair of shoes is probably one of the more essential parts of your gear. I have a pair of boots in my BOV. I thought about putting them in my BOB but they take up a lot of room. I also have some clothing in my car, but I need to get more cold weather clothing. I have another pair of boots in my house. I can't get away with having boots at work, but thats why there are some extra clothing and boots in my car. I have never tried gaiters, but I hear they are very useful. I never thought about a walking stick either. I might try to get one. Most can attach to your BOB easy.

As a side note, not everyone bugging out is heading to live in the forest. Some of us live in a place where it would not be good to be if some SHTF. I live in a trailer and in most disasters staying there would not be a good idea. I would love it if I could bug in my house, but in most scenarios I have thought about it is not a good idea. Though, if I thought the situation warranted it, I would stay here. I have a BOL and I would head there. If I was away at work or anywere else I would rely on my GHB and BOV to get home to gather equipment, and head to my BOL. If you live at a place that is better to stay than to go then you are blessed and I wished I lived in the same circumstances.

Thanks for the posts! Very good information so far. +1 Taylor on the Dr. Bonner Soap! That is going to save me alot of space.

"Cool I am going to have to look for that stuff! (Dr Bonner's Soap). That would be a pretty handy thing to have, and you're right that would reduce the amount of items in your pack. Where do they usually sell it?"

Any health food store should have it, Whole Earth Foods carries it and you could probably find it online. I really love this stuff hell you can eat it as well if you had to. BTW it is nice too for those who have to read something while taking a crap. The label is just covered in writing, lots of it. Some weird stuff, some fun, but everytime I have to "go" in the woods, I always bring my bottle along for reading material. When you get a bottle you will see what I mean. They sell the stuff in small bottles (approx 8 oz sized) all the way up to gallons. You might experiment a bit with the smaller bottles to see which one you prefer. I buy the peppermint and the plain to which I usually add my own essential oils (you can get them at the health food store as well).

As a corpsman I always wanna say powder yer feet however foot powder is designed only for feet (trust me on this, burns yer private areas) and is why I always go for the body powder as you can use it anywhere including feet. Course I always heard from the old timer corpsmen (usually Nam vets) that they used foot powder in the field to kill lice or crabs. Personally I think I would live with the bugs but hey, whatever works.

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"Can our form of government, our system of justice, survive if one can be denied a FREEDOM because he might abuse it?" Harlan Carter

What is 'body powder'? I've never heard of it....I'll have to get some Dr Bonners Soap and try it out.

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From a friend: Benjamin Franklin once said that beer is proof that God loves us. I'm of the opinion that Redheads are proof that, contrary to popular belief, Satan also loves us.My small blog: http://journeytogreenerpastures.blogspot.com/

Just like baby powder only not all smelly. Usually over by the foot powder section of a grocery store. Gold Bond Powder is a name brand, I think there is one called Shower to Shower as well, been a while since I have seen it. I was introduced to body powder in high school by my track coach. They called it jock itch powder and ya powdered your privates and butt crack with it so you didn't get a heat rash during the summer when training. Have used it ever since. Barbers used to use talc powder after they shaved the hairs off your neck as well, very refreshing.

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"Can our form of government, our system of justice, survive if one can be denied a FREEDOM because he might abuse it?" Harlan Carter

From a friend: Benjamin Franklin once said that beer is proof that God loves us. I'm of the opinion that Redheads are proof that, contrary to popular belief, Satan also loves us.My small blog: http://journeytogreenerpastures.blogspot.com/

"As a side note, not everyone bugging out is heading to live in the forest. Some of us live in a place where it would not be good to be if some SHTF. I live in a trailer and in most disasters staying there would not be a good idea. I would love it if I could bug in my house, but in most scenarios I have thought about it is not a good idea. Though, if I thought the situation warranted it, I would stay here. I have a BOL and I would head there. If I was away at work or anywere else I would rely on my GHB and BOV to get home to gather equipment, and head to my BOL. If you live at a place that is better to stay than to go then you are blessed and I wished I lived in the same circumstance."

I apologize for not making myself clear on this point. If you have a BOL by all means use it. What I so poorly was trying to say is that many "survivalists" have an idea of just heading out with their gear and living off the land or what not. IMHO I believe that these "survivalists" will become nothing more than well armed looters preying off of country folk like myself and it probably would not take long for them to become a target to be taken out before they become a problem instead of waiting until they killed livestock or break into outbuildings. Even in good times a property owner could probably get away with shooting an armed man especially if they were all dolled out in military garb. For those headed to national forests or the like, all I can say is good luck. Living that way is tough and I can not imagine that park rangers would take too kindly to people killing off wildlife or misusing the lands they are sworn to protect. If you make yourself too much of a pest, they will find you. Most park rangers know their area much better than someone who has visited many times, these guys (and gals) work there every day and many live on the park year round. Anywho I apologize for not making myself more clear. If you plan on bugging out, just make sure that where you are headed is friendly to your arrival.

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"Can our form of government, our system of justice, survive if one can be denied a FREEDOM because he might abuse it?" Harlan Carter

Bulky means it can carry more, and heavy only depends on what you put in it.I mean the stuff you have in it an attached to it is bulky why carry 60 lbs when stuff that weighs 30 lbs will do?

Sleeping bag - its not heavy. In fact, for the size, price, and quality it is the best one for me to purchase. You want bulky and heavy try the sleeping bags the Army issues you.

so its smaller and lighter than an army issue bag. so what. everything the army issues is stupidly heavy. a slumber jack telluride 30 degree bag is the size of a foot ball. have you weighed that bag of yours? I bet its a solid 5 lbs or more. a tellurides 3 lbs

Tent - I am not sure why you think these items are heavy. The tent weighs less that 5 lbs, and the sleeping bag may weigh 3 lbs. Shelter and keeping warm is very imporant in survival. They are items you need to bring with you if it is going to be a trek to your BOL. Besides, this is a two man tent, but it fits my family pretty good. Maybe not in a few more years, but we will see.

have you weighed this stuff? what tent is that? i've never seen a 5 lb tent that was that big!

Lensatic compass - Please see http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323 I am looking for topigraphical maps, but haven't found any yet for my area. These maps I am used to using when I was in the Army. I would have to make due with what I have right now.

Pedometer - Small and weighs about the same as a feather. Simple. If you know how many feet you have traveled and know the conversion to miles then you can estimate how far you have traveled. In fact I am thinking about putting this in my GHB. With a map, Lensatic Compass, and a pedometer you can better track where you are and how far you have traveled.

Standard issue E-tool - My Drill Sergeant taught me too many ways to use this to not bring it with me. You can use this to clear an area to camp pretty quickly. You can chop medium sized branches. You can use it to hammer various things like tent pegs. You can use it to control fire. If for some reason you are caught in a forest fire you can use it to dig a trench around your area. Hell, you can even use it for defense. In my opinion you should have one of these in your BOB, BOV, and BOL.

ok so you can do all of that. the question is do you NEED to? you state you'd rather use a hatchet for chopping wood.A rock or chunk of wood works as a hammer, you can dig with a stick if you HAVE to, you have a gun and knife for defense, its your spine carry what you want but I think you are wasting space and weight for something you MIGHT use rather than what you will use

Canned Heat - I have a budget. It travels good, and is not that heavy. I have thought long and hard about different types of fuel. Canned heat will not spill, and I do not have to worry about it exploding. It can get things just as hot as a stove, and it can even be used to start tender if needed. Each lasts about 2 1/2 hours. After that the empty cans can be used for other purposes (non-food or water related) and can also hold other kinds of fuel such as Kiwi wax, alcohol, or kerosene.

Canned Heat Stove - If you carry canned heat its kinda crazy not to bring something to cook on.

you should try alcohol stoves I have a nifty kit I put together that consists of 2 zip lock bowls, a hennieken beer can and an alcohol burner. Hit me with a mail address I'll send you one to try out. total weight with 4 onces of fuel is just 398 grams

Mess Kit - If you think you will only need a canteen cup then go ahead. I am not going to stop you, but I would like to be able to cook on something. There is also matches in the kit. Included with this is a handy tool that has a spoon, knife, fork, and other utensils. The mess kit also has a cup for drinking soup, it has a frying pan, and eating plate. Its put together and collapes to make the thing about half the size of a regular plate. I also have a P38 can opener in this kit. I am not sure what you are planning to eat on your way to your BOL, but I will be able to eat the full range of canned food, dried food items, and anything I want to cook. I would call this personal preference if it were just me, but since it is my family I need a quicker way to cook things in bulk.

why do have a frying pan and a plate when none of the food in your bob is fryable? its more unnecessary stuff

Glow sticks - Yes they can only be used once, but they are to hang outside of my ruck so that those following behind me can see me. Sometimes it is better to not have a flashlight on while traveling at night if that is what you need to do. I learned this idea from the Army. Most of our Kevlar helmets had two glow in the dark patches on the back of a band we wrapped around our helmet. This is so if we were traveling at night that the person behind us would not lose track of the guy in front of him, and so on. I would love to get ahold of one of those on a larger scale so that it could recharge during the day like most glow-in-the-dark stuff. I will have to look into it further.

they make electric ones these days. you might want to look into themRope - Parachord is good. Remember, I am on a budget. If you find any sales on this let me know!

Gun Cleaning kit - I plan to bring one gun of each type. Handgun, Carbine, and shotgun. I know...how am I going to carry all of that? Simple. The handgun fits on my webbing belt for the LCE. I can either hand carry/sling/or put the shotgun across my ALICE pack top. So what about the carbine? My fiancee, soon to be wife. I am teaching her how to use a handgun, and hopefully how to use a .22 and eventually the carbine. So yeah, I need to bring something to clean the stuff I am bringing.

you are going to lug a 4 or 5 lbs shotgun, a 4 or 5 lb carbine a pistol, and ammo for all 3 around? thats 15 lbs of guns and ammo or more. loose the shotgun or the carbine or give the carbine to the woman.

Hand Sanitizer - Soap you need water to clean with. Personally I do not want to waste any more water than need be. Hand sanitizer kills 99.99% of germs. This is the idea in using anything to clean. It can be used to clean my hands quickly before cooking or eating. Its quick, dries easy, uses no water, and in my opinion it does not get your hands cold (which if it is winter you are not going to want to get your hands colder than they already are).

again which can be done with soap which has more uses than hand sanitizer. why carry both when 1 will do.

I am going to assume that since you did not list an 'ok' beside the meds or comment on them you are including them in the multi-vitamin statement. Never assume everything is going to go 100% according to plan. Hell, don't even assume 50% of your plan is going to work. Tylenol is acetaminophen. Used in conjunction with caffeine its effects improve. Not astronomically, but better than by itself. Here is a link: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/acetaminophen-and-caffeine.html The same thing with Ibuprofen. You might need pain relief whether it is from fatigue, headaches, or cramps. Antihistamine is for allergies, bites, stings, and they can be broken open and applied directly to the skin. Last is the multi-vitamin. If you think you are going to get all your nutrients and minerals through the food you eat on your way then you might want to think again. Even once you get there you are not going to have all the nutrients you need, and one of those is iodine. I don't know about you but I don't want a goiter the shape of a football.

how am I going to get goiter with in a week or 2? I don't take vitamens NOW, infact most people DON'T take vitamens. as for the final destination thats an item you stock THERE. why lug it around if you if you don't have to??

Tubes of iodine salt - I am not sure how far your BOL is. It could be down the road, mine is many miles, and I like assurances. Salt is good, in small quantaties, to help replenish electrolytes in your body. This is no different an idea than the salt tablets the Army gives to recruits during the hot months of the year. I like to err on the side of caution and have this just in case. Salt packs from restaraunts are too small, and can get wet too easily.

I have gatoraide packets. as for salt getting wet 1 so what its can dry out, 2 thats what a plastic baggy is for.

Beef stock - Scratching your head about this one? One it has salt in it too, but it also has nutrients. We give beef stock to those people in the hospital when they can not keep down solids. Do you think that during the trip someone might not get sick or be in a position where they can not eat solids without vomiting? Its a small bottle if that worries you. I would rather have it and be able to feed someone than not have it and need it.

never eaten the stuff in my life, why waste the money and space on something I won't use?Emergency blankets - Of course they are the 1 dollar kind. They are there for more than one reason too. They might be noise makers, but if you need to be rescued then they might be handy. They are shiny, warm, and reflective. Sometimes you might want to be found. Need to take that into account. Besides, I have my sleeping bag. If I needed something for warmth I would use that, right?

the 1 dollar kind in my experiance are useless garbage. I have a heavy duty one that has groments on it and is red on one side reflective on the other. I got it at bass pro. "might be handy" been there tried em and they aren't have used the good one to boost the effectiveness of my sleeping bag more than once when the temps dipped below its rating. I can't say enough about the quality reflective blankets. the cheapies suck. try one then try a good one. the good ones are heavier and bulkier but they are worth it

Rain ponchos - Need only one? I have a family of three. My fiancee, daughter, and myself. Hopefully your planning involves family members also. Mine does. Grin I have a army issue poncho that is a part of my GHB. Its not in the picture because there is a link to it.

nope just me. but why are you carrying the kids gear and the womans?

Knife sharpener - I have one of the easy to use kind. My BOL already has a good knife sharpening kit. This will be light and sufficient to get me to my BOL. (Not to mention cheaper)

Fishing line - Again, multi-purpose. Not only can this be used to fish with, but to tie things, sew things, be used for sutures, and be used to trap animals. The roll fits nicely in the bottom of one of the outer pockets and so does not use that much room. Personal choice, I guess, but I would rather have it than not.

where are your hooks?

Gorilla Glue Duct Tape - You can also get this kind of duct tape at Wal-Mart. It is super strong, and you won't have to worry about it coming loose. Besides, I also have a smaller amount of this wrapped around a pencil in my GHB in case I need some there. Compact and easy to use. This also fits in the bottom of one of my outside pouches rather nicely. This stuff is too useful not to bring some with you.

Carbiner - First of all I do have a rope. You commented on it a minute ago. Second, this is not a carbiner to climb with. It is used to carry items. What if I need quick access to something? What if for some reason my pack fell and I need to lift it up to me? It has this handy little carbiner attached so all I have to do is lower a hook and pull it up to me. Carbiners are very useful and I want to buy some more soon.

how are you going to retrieve the bag when the rope and caribiner are in the bag?

Disposable wipes - Man you are going to be really stinky out there if you do not have a way to bathe yourself, or wipe your behind. You think you are going to go very long without the need to deficate? Hope you brought plenty of corn cobs!

soap and a small towel

Hot hands - yes, but the thing is that neither gloves nor hats actually generate heat. These do. There is a reason hunters are fond of them. Don't get me wrong. Bring a set of gloves and hat, and they can be used in conjunction for better effect. They stay warm for many hours. These are small enough to place in jackets and gloves. Chalk it up to personal preference if you want. Wink

you get to use them once. a warmer set of gloves or mitts you use multiple times. why waste valuable space and weight on something that disposable when you could use that space for something that 1. can be used again and again and 2. has more than one use?

Tent hammer - It is also what a E-Tool is for. However, if I need to be vertical and hammering a rock and an E-tool is not going to be as useful. I suppose I could do without it. For now I am keeping it, and probably in my BOV.

why would you be vertical hammering a rock? you don't have any climbing gear! besides you are carrying a hatchet no? the back end works as a hammer!

i have one but don't carry it but you really might want to try a hand chain saw. not one of those crappy wire saws but a hand chain saw. they run 20-30. I've used one. it will zip through a 2-3 inch limb in seconds.Water Filter - I am looking into this. Most filters are pretty expensive. This may be a purchase futher down the line. I do have water tabs in my GHB. It listed here: http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34323

I use the katadyn hiker. its good for 200 gallons or so. its fast and doesn't clog up like the msr ceramics do. freind of mine is a through hiker and uses one. 1st cartdige lasted 3 hiking seasons for him. also Berkey has a sport bottle with a ceramic filter in it. I have one of those 2. the Hiker runs $60 and the berkey was $25.

get a 2 liter bladder. they sell em at walmart for $10. I have one in my pack and i use a 1 quart GI canteen too.

1st aid kit - I have a FAK with tons of useful items, but to your credit I didn't mention it. However, listed here:

excellent the importance of a 1st aid can never be stressed enough. other than my tent, bag, clothes, flash light and food, my 1st aid kit gets used everytime I go out.

trail mix is great. don't get the stuff which the chocolate chips though. the stuff melts! life boat rations taste like a racoons ass.

Gear weight? Probably around that when I add on the GHB. Might be more than that later. 50 lbs was standard carrying weight when we went on road marches. I have read that a good standard to go by is to not pack more than 1/3rd your weight. I weigh 250 and so 1/3rd of that is 83. This has to do with carrying so that it does not make you lose your center of gravity. Your other arguement for this would be could I carry it? I am a pretty hefty guy, but even I would say I need more practice carrying it longer distances than I have. That is why I am thinking of trying to get people from my region together to do Bug out drills and tests. I still would like to see more people in our region in our forum area before I do this though. Everyone could use more exercise including me. So I will give you that, but I still can carry it a good distance without fatigue.

I could see about getting my BOB lighter, or I could also exercise a bit more than I do and carry what I need.

this is where you have a slight problem. You aren't in the army anymore. I've never been in. thank you for your service!this is probably why you and I have a different view point. I was in boyscouts I hated lugging to much crap aboutMy point here is go through the pack and take a new look at everything. Do i NEED this? or is this something I think I MIGHT need?250 lbs and in good shape? GREAT! go through the pack, reduce the current bulk and weight and that will let you add more of the stuff you need like food and water carriers

I would love to see your pack! If you have been able to work it down to 25 lbs that is great! I would love to learn how to make better use of the space I have. Like I said I am not a pro. Help the thread along and post your BOB. Thanks again for your comments and suggestions! Cheesy

Ok I have no pic because my BOB is discomBOBulated as I was using it last weekend to camp but here is what I carry:

I agree that I could find ways to reduce bulk. One of these is stashing some items at my BOL. However, there are some reasons I include what I do. Most of them I said could be chalked up to personal preference. I do what I can with what I got on what income I have. Simpley stated. what I have and think I need is going to differ from what you think would be best for you. Obviously weight is a concern, but I think you are trying to overstate its importance. Simply saying what you did in your last post would have been sufficient.

I am not sure how much my ruck weighs, but I can carry it and walk around with it rather well. I do need to test walking with it for several miles though to get a better gauge of its weight and my endurance. You seem to have a pretty negative view about much of my equipment. Either not seeing a need for it or thinking it is worthless. It might be to you, but I have never heard many survivalists saying a E-Tool should not be a part of your gear.

This will be my last post in response to you on my BOB. We have a difference of opinion. I will take the suggestion to lighten my gear and add more food because I agree with that. But leaving out what I consider vital gear to depend on any sticks and rocks I may or may not find I think is foolish.

I got my wifes BOB done today. My background is in SAR so it is probably oreinted that way. Please feel free to critique or make suggestions.

The Backpack is a hiker design, old SAR pack I had:

Stuff laid out:

Close up of contents:

I put the lighters, matches and battery's in a little plastic bottle to protect them:

I packed everything in a heavy orange bag, like the state uses for garbage to keep everything dry:

Picture of the pack packed:

On the wife:

I asked my wife if she thought I was crazy for making her a BOB, she replied "kinda". I said "Do you think there are other husbands who would do this for their wife?" Without missing a beat she replied" Well maybe the guys on your survival website."...I chuckled... Prepper's take that as a compliment!!!!

Bailey: good pack I would just 1) pack the cardboard on the inside because you want to keep it dry. Take the flashlight out to make room and put it on the side so it is close at hand. 2) don't forget insect repellent. it is a nuisance us men often forget about.

Bailey: good pack I would just 1) pack the cardboard on the inside because you want to keep it dry. Take the flashlight out to make room and put it on the side so it is close at hand. 2) don't forget insect repellent. it is a nuisance us men often forget about.